On March 20th, the Blue House Secretary for Civil Affairs, Cho Kuk, announced a detailed briefing of the constitutional amendment bill in which President Jae-in Moon expands basic rights and strengthen the power of the people. The amendment bill includes a clause that gives provision to establish a policy for the protection of animal rights.
Almost immediately after he recovered and was transferred to our adoption center in Dapshimni, he found his new family. It often takes much longer to get adopted, but perhaps it was the fact that he was a puppy that melted the adopter’s heart.
Our international conference for banning dog meat consumption, titled ‘Dog Meat Free Korea 2017,’ was held in the National Assembly Library, Seoul on November 24th.
Our ongoing “Dog Meat Free Korea” campaign is supported by lots of people and organizations. Kevin Bright, American television producer, and the DoVE Project (Dogs of Violence Exposed), an American organization focused on ending the dog meat trade in Asia, are two of them.
There are innumerable dog meat restaurants in Seoul despite the 1984 Seoul Metropolitan Government’s classification of dog meat as a food not suitable for human consumption. As of October 26th, 2017, Kyungdong, Jung-ang, and Moran markets in Seoul still illegally slaughter dogs and sell dog meat.
On Friday September 22nd, we held a counter-protest in Gwanghwamun, Seoul against the Korean Dog Meat Traders Association who were demonstrating to have dog meat and dog farming legalized.
On Friday September 15th, we determined to decommission the dog farm, decided to rescue every dog in it, and got a written statement from the owner never to operate the farm again. CARE activists and volunteers, embarked on the rescue.
On the 11th of August, we held a “STOP! THE KILLING” performance event in Seoul Plaza in front of Seoul City Hall. It was the last of our Bok Nal (the three hottest days of summer) campaign events, the 11th of August being the last of the hottest summer days (called “mal bok” in Korean) in 2017.
On 17th August, a video was taken in the Gupo district of Busan. In the video, a dog was being brutally dragged along public streets by a pipe to which it was tightly bound from Gupo station to Gupo Market—a distance of about 1km. The dog was trying to untie the rope, and during his struggles, his skin was lacerated and claws were damaged.
In December 2016, the Moran Market Vendors’ Association agreed to voluntarily stop displaying and slaughtering live dogs, and remove the butchering facilities. As the result of our ongoing investigation during May and June of 2017, it was revealed that the agreement has not been upheld.
On 12th July 2017, CARE filed a bill of indictment at the Seoul Supreme Prosecutor’s Office, accusing 15 people who slaughtered and sold dog meat for infractions under Article 8 Section 1 Clauses 1, 2 and 4 of the Animal Protection Act.
The dog meat association is currently winning the war on dog meat as demand surges around Boknal (the hottest days of summer). But, rumor has it that dog meat is in decline; a rumor now supported by statistics.